Cropped Heads Long Sleeve Shirt

Most people have heard of the geisha, the nightshift women who entertain Japan’s wealthy and elite. Their classy behavior and dedication to the arts have gained them respect and reverence throughout Japan’s storied history. And also helped inspire one of the most terrible forms of Hollywood Orientalism ever. Just try sitting through five minutes of Memoirs of a Geisha — it’s like holding your pee while taking a crap.

Lesser known are the tayuu, or oiran courtesans. These entertainers are like the Rolls Royce of playmates, putting the average geisha on par with a pre-owned Le Baron (where were these car analogies when I needed them in college?!).

Cropped Heads is what clothing brand Organ is appropriately calling this long sleeve shirt. The woman on the back, as you might of guessed, is one of those pricey tayuu court ladies. But it looks like her date with OJ didn’t end so well, because I’m pretty sure that’s her severed head on the front of the shirt! Actually, the woman is from a famous Japanese ghost story. Think Pretty Woman meets Dawn of the Dead.

I love the negative color scheme used for the shirt. It really punches out the colors and lines. When I first looked at the design, it kind of reminded me of some Yak-style tattoos. I’ve always found it funny how lots of ultra-macho Yakuza feel totally comfortable with inking chics and flowers all over their body. You’d think there’d be a strict adherence to dragons and swords. I guess that’s Japanese culture for you.